Monday, 17 October 2016

We did some filming for the program "Coast" featuring Neil Oliver a
few months ago and I have just received confirmation that the program
will be aired on BBC 2 on 19th October at 8pm.

Coast is a BBC documentary series first broadcast on BBC Two television in
2005 and is still going strong today and with the new series already
started, we are really looking forward to seeing the Farne Islands back on TV again.

If you have already missed the start then click on the Coast link below.

Tuesday, 11 October 2016

Andy, myself and a few of our guests spotted a grey seal eating "Lump Sucker" fish.

As we watched it for a while, we realised how long its claws where and just how powerful they can be. I remember speaking to former head warden "John Walton" a few years ago about the seals and I was gob smacked when he casually said that he was bitten by a seal a long time ago. He even showed me the scar which was quite impressive if I may say for myself and its not until then do you realise how lucky he was. I know a fish is a totally different thing to a human, but it only took a few minutes to devour it, so it just goes to show you that John was very very lucky.

A Lump Sucker has very rubbery skin, which makes it bit more tricky for the seal to tear apart but it did not take long before the seal was enjoying the fresh meat.

I know the pictures do not look good and probably do not put the seal into a good light but they have to eat and we tend to forget the a wild creatures. We like to see things all cute and cuddly and they are at times but this seal is not one of those times sorry.

If I get to see some cute seal pups later in the year I will post them I promise but in the meantime here are the pictures.

On Saturday 8th October the first seal pup of the year was spotted on the Longstone Island.
It's lovely to see but I'm not sure if this pup will survive as its on a very low rock and the weather has changed since Saturday and the big seas have started to roll in.

I have also seen another two pups on Monday on a different island but unfortunately one of them has passed away. The other one looks in good health and a lot higher up the rocks too.

I will keep you posted on whats happening and hopefully the seas will calm down for them.

Monday, 3 October 2016

Its not very often I say this but September was a really great month for working on the water around the Farnes.
Well I say working, but it's not really work now is it. All I do is stand or sit, around all day talking into a microphone and telling people about the wildlife and history. I chat to people, give Andy (my crewman) some grief, and watch all the wildlife around the Farne Islands and I even do a bit of photography if I have a spare minute.

It has not been the wildlife that has made September great, as that has been very quiet, but it has been the weather itself. It's not very often that the sea is like glass and it's hardly ever hot out at sea either but this month it has been both.
Near the end of the month it changed but that is to be expected but the rest of it was outstanding.

I use Twitter a lot and I do a thing called "A view from my office window today" and I know it annoys people sometimes and I do tweet the bad weather too but it lets people know what its like and shows you what a hard life I have. lol.

Anyway I have talked enough rubbish now, so I will let the pictures do the talking....